THE COUNSEL I NEED

January 19, 2023

Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the counsel of the Lord will stand. (Proverbs 19:21)

I have a thousand ideas. If you ask me about almost anything, I can come up with an idea. I often jokingly say to others when they come up with a wild idea, “Well, that’s a thought; it’s not a good thought, but it IS a thought!”

We are endless in our conclusions and plans. But we are also limited. We are short-sighted in our understanding of the real issue. An untrained eye may look at a spot on your arm and say it’s merely a sore when a trained eye can discern it is cancer. We can assume we know and, in those assumptions, miss the heart of the problem.

And we can always come up with plans and ideas. Get in a group of people, and you will hear “many plans,” all assuming that they are right. But they may not always be the right plan. Our pride leads us to often think we know the problem and the solution. If everybody would listen to us, the world would be a better place.

But if we pursue merely humanistic plans, we can cause real destruction and find ourselves missing the mark. This hurts us and often others.

GOD’S COUNSEL

God’s counsel, contained in His Word and by His Spirit, is always (always) accurate. He sees what we cannot see. He not only knows the heart of the issue now but also sees ahead and knows the future. He knows what will work and what will lead to disaster. Psalm 19 records the incredible power of God’s counsel, His Word.

 

WHAT SHOULD WE DO?

If we are wise, we will not stop in any decision until we have found the counsel of God. This comes through fervent study of His Word, surrendered listening to His Spirit, and a listening ear to the counsel from those around us who know God’s Word and can give wise counsel. These three means are like three lighthouses in a row that can give us clarity about anything and everything.

Wise is the man who plants his feet in this decision-making process. Who decides, early on, that he will not rest until he hears from God. George Mueller said that continued uncertainty about a matter is always cause for continued waiting. He had his heart settled in how he would live, i.e., he would not move until he heard God’s voice saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”

Are we listening to the Lord? Or, are we quickly spouting off our counsel, our best humanistic ideas? One leads to stability and life, and spiritual success. The other way of living can be disastrous.

 

---

---

Also in Graceful Truth